August 16, 2025
The ceremony will take place live in New York City at the UBS Arena on Sept. 7
It’s recently been announced that living legendary lyricist and hip-hop icon, LL COOL J, will be hosting this year’s MTV Video Music Awards.
According to the cable network, this will be the first time that LL, whose real name is James Todd Smith, will host the ceremony solo, after previously co-hosting with fellow Queens emcee Nicki Minaj and Jack Harlow. The awards show is slated to be filmed live in New York City at the UBS Arena in Manhattan. It will air on CBS and, of course, MTV, as well as streamed on Paramount+ on Sept. 7, starting at 8 p.m.ET/5 p.m. PT.
It will be the first time that the awards show airs on CBS.
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As music and hip-hop fans gear up for LL’s hosting duties, they can catch his new docuseries made in partnership with NFL champion Peyton Manning, “Hip Hop Was Born Here.”
The program, which debuted in July, is a five-part docuseries that examines the origins and evolution of the popular genre that started in New York City. The doc will feature exclusive conversations with several esteemed individuals who took part in the history of hip-hop. Footage will also be revealed, showcasing legendary hip-hop figures like Big Daddy Kane, Doug E. Fresh, Rev Run, Method Man, Roxanne Shante, and others who were there as the legacy of hip-hop was being formed in the early years of the culture.
“We were lucky to partner with Todd [LL Cool J], Rock the Bells, and Paramount on ‘Hip Hop Was Born Here,’” Manning said in a written statement. “Music is far from my area of expertise, but sports and music have a lot of similarities. Both require hard work and commitment, and at their best, both bring people together. The story of hip-hop, especially in New York City, is an important one to tell, and there’s no one better than Todd to tell it.”
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